


My Oranges!

by Mydoggoeswoof



Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: Gen, M/M, Matilda is my fav Team Champery lady, Spinny boi, That pink flamingo though, Yes I am biased, can you hear me now?, poor baby, stomps angerly away
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-15
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2020-03-05 18:59:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18834754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mydoggoeswoof/pseuds/Mydoggoeswoof
Summary: We do not talk about IDFThis is purely fluff. Written and 'edited' by me *insert shrug emoji*





	My Oranges!

**Author's Note:**

> My WWW friends helped me take the plunge...

Grenoble was a mess from the day they left for the competition. Deniss was just getting the sniffles the day they arrived for check-in. The four had two rooms, adjacent to each other. Matilda was happy to be bunking by herself. During competitions, it was harder for Stéphane to keep his students on a schedule, let alone a sick student. “Just be on time for practice, tomorrow.” Stéphane reminded her. 

“Don’t worry. I will be on time. I have multiple alarms set.” The door was swiftly shut in Stéphane’s face. Back in their room, Chris was giving Deniss’ his pills that would last the next six hours. “Let’s hope it can hold off for the next few days.” Chris was trying to make Deniss feel a little better. Deniss knew better. This cold will be at its worst in three days. The day of the Free Skate.

That night Deniss tried everything he could to get as good of a sleep as possible. Lots of fluids, hot soup at dinner, a hot shower right before bed. The three stopped at a drug store, picking up nose strips for Deniss to use. Stéphane wanted Deniss to get as much sleep as he could. 

Deniss stepped out of the bathroom, dressed for bed. He was shivering. Stéphane was fluffing one of Deniss’ pillows. Deniss had been sick while with Stéphane before. Just during the offseason. It wasn’t as big of a deal as it was being sick during the season.  
“Get into bed.” Stéphane pulled back the covers on Deniss’ side. Deniss was all too pleased to finally lay down. He snuggled with his blanket, he always brings on the road with him, sighing into the sheets. Stéphane was being fussy with him. The one point where Stéphane and Chris clash. Each thinks they can take care of him better. This is Deniss’ entertainment. Watching them bicker.

Stéphane pulled back the covers on his side before he went to get ready for bed. Chris was trying to find something on his laptop to show to Deniss. Stéphane was in the bathroom maybe ten minutes before he came out. Chris was laying in his spot, next to Deniss. Deniss was intently looking at something on Chris’ laptop. Nerd stuff no doubt. 

Stéphane cleared his throat. The two looked up. Deniss coughed., covering his mouth. “you’re in my spot.” Stéphane scurried up to the side of the bed. “Uh, no I’m not. You can’t sleep next to him when he is sick. You cannot get sick. I don’t have to be around other skaters except for Deniss.” 

“Deniss isn’t that sick…My spot please.” No one was budging. “Steph, you can sleep on the twin bed right there.” Chris pointed to the twin bed, not even two steps away. “Or you can bunk with Matilda in her room. She has an extra twin in her room.”  
Deniss let out a loud, wet sneeze, just missing Chris’ laptop. Stéphane picked a few tissues from the box on the nightstand giving them to Deniss who blew into them like an elephant. “Here you go.” Deniss handed the dirty tissues back with a smile, then a yawn quickly followed. 

“Ok. Time for bed.” Chris put his laptop away, making sure the two alarms were set for the morning. Stéphane grumbled before getting into his bed.  
Stéphane took Deniss to the nurse's station the next day after practice. Deniss’ face was red, not from a rigorous practice but from the lack of fresh oxygen getting into Deniss’ bloodstream. Deniss held a mask over his face as Stéphane rubbed his shoulders. Deniss coughed into the mask, bringing it away from his face. 

“Here is an inhaler. Use it when you feel you need to. It should last the rest of the competition.” Stéphane took it from the paramedic. Deniss took one more large inhale from the mask before setting it down. What was he going to do? A miserable start to the competition. 

Stéphane grumbled as he laid on the second twin bed in Matilda’s room. He was trying to ignore the girl talk that was going on the bed next to his. He didn’t know Swedish so it’s not like he could join in the conversation anyway.  
Like expected Deniss’ cold was getting worse. One of those’ It’s going to get worse before it will get better’ sicknesses. Chris was trying to get Deniss to take some sleeping medicine along with his cold medicine. The night before was a mess. “Deniss, just take it and you will sleep better through the night.” Deniss shook his head. “That stuff makes me sleep too long. I have a hard time feeling awake when I take it. ” Deniss was getting irritated. Chris backed off. “Ok. That’s fine.” Chris put it away letting Deniss, take it if he wanted. 

Deniss was laying on the bed the night after the short program. He was exhausted, rubbing his eyes, trying to stay awake a little longer, realizing he still had to change into his pajamas. “The shower is ready.” Stéphane came out of the bathroom, going to the table, arranging Deniss’ dinner he just got back with. 

Deniss disappeared into the bathroom before coming out ten minutes later, drying his hair off with a towel. “Sit down Den.’ Stéphane pulled out a chair, urging Deniss to relax. “You did great out there, today?” Stéphane was trying to keep his spirits up. He did the best he could today. Deniss grunted, which turned out as more of a whine. 

‘Want to watch something before bed?” Stéphane doubted Deniss would get through a whole show before falling asleep.” Deniss nodded, before swallowing his pills. “Lay on your stomach, I will rub your back.” Deniss sighed the muscles in his back starting to relax. They had been twisted from nerves since yesterday. He knew his skating was stiff, today. At least it felt that way. He had never been so relieved to stand in his finishing pose. 

Deniss trailed behind Stéphane as people split to the sides of the hallway backstage. Stéphane spat angry words in French. Deniss held his composure a little better, but not by much. The pink flamingo stuffie was getting a rough massage as Deniss squeezed its neck, trying not to wheeze. He just wanted to go home. Sure, the crowd didn’t notice, probably.

The spin plus Deniss’ stuffed up head felt like he had been left deaf in the middle of the last spin, searching for the music cue was pointless as the music was too low. Having lost count, Deniss came spinning out too early, leaving him to slow down his last steps to keep on time.  
Stéphane was a good six feet ahead of Deniss, who was wobbling behind. Chris pulled Deniss to the side. “small puff, Deniss.” Deniss took the inhaler then some tissues. “Steph! Wait.” Chris called behind him. Deniss just closed his eyes, leaning his head against the wall. It was cold and an inviting feeling against his hot forehead. Deniss wished he could shrink down to pocket size and just disappear into Stéphane’s, comfy coat pocket. Deniss goes into a haze. Whenever they are out together and Deniss’ hands are cold Stéphane will link their fingers together and stick them into his coat pocket. Deniss smiles lazily at the memory.

“Darn it.” Chris sighed. Stéphane was out of sight having no clue the other two were left behind. He would notice soon enough. They get to the locker room, Stéphane still nowhere in sight. “Go get changed. I will call Stéphane, to get his butt back here where he should be.”

Twenty minutes later Stéphane is speed walking towards them right outside the doors leading to the exit for the skaters. “You can’t just leave Deniss behind like that.” Deniss is starving and sleepy and shivering. He pulls on Stéphane’s arm. “Let’s go back to the hotel. I want to go back.” Stéphane took Deniss’ bag in one hand and Deniss’ hand in his other. “Let’s go. You can have some rest.” Stéphane stopped right when the stepped outside. “Hold on.” Stéphane set down Deniss’ bag, adjusting Deniss’ scarf around his neck. “There you go.” Stéphane kissed the tip of Deniss’ red, snotty nose. Deniss coughed on a laugh. The rest of the walk back was quiet. 

Deniss swears he never wants to look at soup again after this weekend. It was soup, tea, or hot chocolate with soy milk that Stéphane has been ordering for him. He is all washed up in his pajamas under a large mound of blankets, his laptop sitting on top. Chris found him a reasonably good stream for them to watch of the Ladies Free Skate. 

The last thing Deniss remembers seeing is Stéphane standing by the boards for Matilda’s group warm up. It is the middle of the night when Deniss wakes up next. The laptop is gone, and he is on his side facing the wall. He turns over facing the person next to him. Deniss can see Stéphane’s eyes moving under his eyelids. The blinds were left open, moonlight streaming through the large windows. Deniss crawls over Stéphane to get to the bathroom, taking care of himself before going back to sleep. 

The next morning was packed. Deniss gets a little less awkward with each additional fan meet. He does his part in the exhibition before bailing out. He would describe this as the high point of his cold or whatever it is turning out to be. At least he hopes it is just a cold. He hears Stéphane sniffling as they got up that morning, but it was gone by the time the afternoon arrived. Stéphane can’t be getting sick around the children.

They drive home that same day. Deniss is contained to the middle row of the three-row car. Luggage and gifts are stuffed in every spare space. Deniss lays out across the whole row. Matilda has bags on both sides of her in the back. The ride home is mostly quiet. Not the weekend for results anyone wanted but kind of expected. 

“I am going to send a very strongly worded email to the organizer of this competition. It was a mess from the start to end.” Stéphane was referring to several incidents. Deniss laughed from his spot. “They got their money, I don’t think they really care.” Deniss was just glad to be on his way home. Plowing through the bag from his fan meet. “Here, use this bag for the peels.” Stéphane handed Deniss a plastic bag for his garbage. “Fanks,” Deniss said with a full mouth. It was as close to ‘thanks’ as he was going to get. “Well, Euros better have good trophies. I don’t want Deniss standing on the podium with some plastic shit.” Stéphane acting like a moody child was cute sometimes. Deniss bit his lip. He offered an orange to Stéphane.

“Want one? You might need it with your busy schedule coming up.” Deniss stuck his hand through the space between the two front seats. “No, you need all the vitamin C you get.” Deniss pouted. “What about vitamin k?’ Stéphane turned. “What is vitamin K for?” “You know, k is for kisses?” Deniss said right before he sneezed into his own lap, juice from the orange getting all over the front of his pants. “Darn it.” 

“Of course, when we get home.” Stéphane blushed and turned facing the front again in his seat. Deniss turned his attention. “What about you? Would you like an orange? I saw you looking in the bag earlier.” Chris declined. “All for you, buddy.” “A few days off the ice ok? I don’t want you back on the ice doing your programs until you don’t need the inhaler ever five minutes.” That was not what Deniss wanted to hear “That could be five days!” Deniss whined. “What about my next competition?” “We will talk when that gets closer.” Chris hummed in agreement.

Deniss turned his attention to Chris. “You’re supposed to be on my side.” Chris kept his eyes on the road. “I will agree in your best interest and health, Deniss.” Deniss turned to the back. “What about you?” “Matilda took her earphones out. “About what? I’m already stuck back here with all your plushies” “Oh, come on! And those plushies are my fur babies!” Deniss knew he had lost this ‘argument.’ “You’re just like Stéphane when he was nineteen.’ Chris mentioned. He always said that. Which was partially true. You would never see Deniss in that horrid red cat costume though.

“We will talk about Gold Spin later. Let’s get you better first.” Deniss didn’t push any further. “At least turn on some good music.” Stéphane fiddled with the radio knob before Deniss finally agreed on something.

**Author's Note:**

> Personally, I would put the music on shuffle.


End file.
